4 takeaways from Bruins’ preseason-opening loss to Capitals
Boston Bruins
“We nonetheless are going to make a variety of errors.”
Marco Sturm’s first recreation behind the bench for the Bruins didn’t go as deliberate.
The Bruins opened preseason motion on Sunday night with a lackluster exhibiting in opposition to the Washington Capitals — coughing up 4 targets within the opening 20 minutes en path to a 5-2 setback at TD Backyard.
Morgan Geekie and Patrick Brown each lit the lamp for Boston, whereas Michael DiPietro (16-of-21) and Simon Zajicek (6-of-6) cut up the online.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from Boston’s preseason-opening loss on Sunday:
Rising pains within the D-zone
For all the pleasure that comes with a brand new season of hockey, Marco Sturm was candid forward of puck drop of the inevitable studying curves in retailer for a Bruins staff studying a brand new system underneath a first-time bench boss.
“We nonetheless are going to make a variety of errors,” Sturm mentioned pregame. “I do know that, too. [There] was a variety of data coming at them. However I additionally wish to see us taking part in easy hockey — straight up-and-down Bruins hockey.”
Positive sufficient, the Bruins had some critical struggles throughout Sunday’s matchup in opposition to Washington, with most of these missteps drawn out of the staff’s D-zone execution (or lack thereof).
Washington jumped out to a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes due largely to some poor puck play in Boston’s finish of the ice. Simply 31 seconds after Geekie opened the scoring at 6:17 within the first, Washington secured the equalizer after Nikita Zadorov turned the puck over behind Boston’s internet — finally resulting in Sonny Milano beating DiPietro with a pointy backhand shot from the slot.
It was a tough begin for Zadorov and his D associate, Victor Soderstrom. Soderstrom, who’s trying to beat out Michael Callahan and Jordan Harris for Boston’s seventh D spot, didn’t do himself any favors on Sunday.
After getting outmuscled by Milano within the slot on that first aim, Soderstrom threw a cross between Elias Lindholm’s legs and into the entrance of Boston’s internet that was buried by Hendrix Lapierre at 11:33.
Zadorov was burned in transition at 15:31 after Milano raced previous the Bruins’ blueliner earlier than beating DiPietro with a wrist shot, whereas Mason Lohrei additionally misplaced a puck battle (whereas getting hindered by an on-ice official) to Ivan Miroshnichenko earlier than the Caps ahead fed the puck in entrance to Bogdan Trineyev for Washington’s fourth aim of the night.
It shouldn’t come as a lot of a shock that Boston was knocked for missteps of their first preseason motion.
However, if the Bruins wish to regain their id underneath Sturm as a stingy membership, a few of these errant passes and self-inflicted miscues can’t sprout up at an everyday price.
“The final three days, we went by means of quite a bit,” Sturm mentioned, including: “I’m not saying it was [all] new, however simply, it was a unique voice, I suppose. So I don’t blame my gamers. They work exhausting. We had been simply not good sufficient and that’s why we had been down instantly, 4-1.”
Taking part in with tempo
Regardless of Boston’s struggles in their very own finish, each Sturm and his gamers had been inspired by the velocity at which they had been taking part in Sunday’s recreation, particularly on the offensive finish of the ice.
Sturm famous that Boston’s transition recreation — an space that slowed down the staff’s already listless offense in 2024-25 — was the perfect a part of his staff’s collective recreation on Sunday.
Boston had much more tempo and construction whereas ferrying the puck by means of the impartial zone, whereas each Viktor Arvidsson and Matej Blumel had some high quality seems in transition whereas carrying the puck into Grade-A ice.
“I believe once we performed quick, you may see it,” Charlie McAvoy mentioned. “I believe we’re attempting to do this on our breakout. … After we can transfer pucks fast on first contact and we will fly up the ice, like [Blumel] had one there on the finish, that type of leads to a breakaway.
“We’re attempting to play quick. We’re attempting to get above. New methods. It’s going to take a minute, however we knew for this that you simply simply wish to management effort and execution as finest you’ll be able to. In order that was type of what we had been attempting to remove from tonight.”
Regardless of solely scoring two targets — and nil on three power-play bids — Boston appears to be adopting a extra shot-first mindset. Regardless of solely outshooting Washington, 28-27, the Bruins truly led the Caps in shot makes an attempt, 74-42. Washington blocked 25 of these photographs, together with a number of on the person benefit.
“We didn’t observe all of it,” Sturm mentioned of Boston’s energy play. “We talked about it earlier than the sport somewhat bit, simply the breakouts, or basis on the breakouts and the top boards somewhat bit. And that was it … more often than not we had some O-zone time. Can we be higher? Sure. Completely.”
Boston’s high power-play unit on Sunday featured Charlie McAvoy, Elias Lindholm, Morgan Geekie, Matej Blumel, and Viktor Arvidsson on the netfront. The second unit had Mason Lohrei working up excessive with a grouping that additionally featured Matt Poitras, Alex Steeves, Fraser Minten, and Fabian Lysell.
Not begin for DiPietro
Sure, the Bruins’ D-zone protection left quite a bit to be desired on Sunday.
However, goalie Michael DiPietro additionally wasn’t precisely sharp in his first preseason reps. He gave up 5 targets on 21 photographs.
This can be a important fall for DiPietro, who signed a two-year take care of Boston in June and will doubtlessly push Joonas Korpisalo for the staff’s backup function behind Jeremy Swayman on the depth chart.
DiPietro would additionally must be uncovered to waivers if the staff wished to ship him to Windfall, which may open the danger of one other staff plucking the 26-year-old netminder off Boston’s roster in the event that they consider he’s not prepared for NHL reps.
The Bruins ideally wish to see DiPietro make a professional push earlier than grappling with that waiver name, however Sunday didn’t precisely transfer the needle.
Boston’s protection tightened up after goalie Simon Zajicek entered the sport halfway by means of the second interval, however the Czech goalie additionally made a powerful post-to-post cease in opposition to Lapierre throughout his reps.
Inventory report
- Sturm tabbed a fourth line of Patrick Brown, Jeffrey Viel, and Riley Duran as his finest line of the night time. Past Brown’s tally within the second interval, each Viel and Duran generated some intensive O-zone time by profitable puck battles on the forecheck. Nonetheless, that trio has an uphill climb in the case of leapfrogging different potential fourth-line regulars on the roster like Sean Kuraly, Mark Kastelic, Mikey Eyssimont, and Johnny Beecher.
- Boston’s finest “prospect” on Sunday night time may need been defenseman Frederic Brunet, who fashioned an efficient pairing alongside Andrew Peeke and was not knocked for a aim in opposition to. Brunet appeared to stick to Sturm’s preachings by transferring the puck rapidly whereas additionally breaking apart a number of odd-man rushes with some well timed poke checks.
- Sturm pointed to some good and unhealthy with a youthful ahead line that featured Blumel, Poitras, and Steeves. Poitras drew three penalties however was once more knocked round fairly a bit on the ice, whereas Blumel had some attractiveness in transition. It wasn’t the sharpest recreation from all three forwards in Boston’s D-zone.
- Fabian Lysell had a really robust begin on Sunday by throwing his weight round on the forecheck and utilizing his velocity to attempt to make issues occur. However, he quieted down the stretch, touchdown zero photographs on aim over 15:47 of ice time.
- Fraser Minten continues to do the little issues that might have him break camp with the NHL membership. Throughout his 14:16 of ice time, Minten gained 6-of-7 faceoffs whereas additionally doling out some hits.
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